Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-15

two months ago, parted with him yester-
day. His father and mother, owing 10
f. eble health, did not come to the city to
bid farewell to the doomed man. Not
wlthslanding the fact that before the
body was taken down the physicians
stated that the neck was broK en-, the
general mpression is that death was pro-
duced by stranguiatiOn, as ten minute 5
elapsed before lite was pronounced eX-
tInct. The heavy cultural, Or stenjorious
breathing during, that time was painful
to listen to and was heard by all in the
prison yard.
THE STORY OF THE CREME.
The following Is a history of the crime
for which CluVerius was hanged: On
the morning of March IA,
1885, l.. Rose, keeper OF the
old city reservoir in the western
part of this city, in making his usual
round OF inspection, discovered the body
Of woman in the reservoir. He at once
notified the city authorities and the
COroQer, who mad the body taken from
the water, when 1t was seen that 1t was
young woman of about y years Of age
and quite good looking. the Coroner,
alter reviewing the remains pronounced
it case of suicide and had the BODY re-
moved to the morgue at the clty's aims
house for Identification.
REPoRTER's KEEN SCENT.
Peter j. Burton, reporter of the
Richmond Dispatch. subsequently went
TO the reservoir and then to he m0rgue,
aud his investigation resulted in the
formulation of the murder theory upon a
chain OF circumstantial evidence which
drove couvlcuOn to many minds. A
further examination OF the body disclosed
the fact that the unfortunate woman was
Tar advanced in pregnancy. During two
days many people saw the body and il
was finally recognized by two young Ia
dies, the Misses Dunstan, as q friend OF
theirs. Miss Fannie Lillian Madison, OF
King and Queen county, but who had for
some time past been teaching school in
Bath county.
VERDICT OF PROBABLE MURDER.
The Coroner's inquest resulted in ver-
dict OF probable murder. Detectives and
police were set to work and in a short me
brought to light Dtcircumstances that added
strength to the murder theory. A woman
who had registered at the American HO-
tel on March 13, under The name OF Miss
+. l.. Morton, was missing from the hOte ,
and her disappearance AID the finding o.
the body about the same time, furnished
the fatal clue, but for which the murderer
might never have been known.
TELL-TALE NOTES.
While the so-called "Miss Morton,'
was at the motel she wrote and received
several notes, but one directed by her was
never delivered, and after her departure
from the hotel it was torn 10 pieces by the
clerk and cast into "a waste e-basket. Scraps
of this note aud its envelope were subse-
qu nJly brought to light, and wht pasted
| together 1T Served as one Of the princi
pal links in the chain which convicted the
t. = 4 a Ekn
Cluverius." Further inquiry developed
the fact that the man was young lawyer
oil King and Queen county, and cousin
of the deceased. The discovery of this
note led to the arrest OF Cluverlus, who
was known to have been ia Richmond on
March l3.
THE ARREST.
He was found at The residence of his
aunt, Mrs. TunstalI, in King aud Queen
county, and brought to this cIiy. He
waived a preliminary exam nation and
was sent to the grand jury OF the Hust-
ings Court. He was indicted in April for
murder, and his trial began at the Ma
term of Court and continued Tor twenty
eight days. Owing TO the dltf1culty Of OBJ
tanning competent jurors in Richmond IL
was found necessary to draw talesmen
from Alexandra, ana jury was finally
impane!ed with seven Richmonders and
five AleXandrians composing it.
THE TRIAL.
The prisoner pleaded not guilty, and
the trial proceeded. Nearly 200 witnesses
were examined, and step by step the evil
dence fixed upon the prisoner the brand
of seducer and murderer, and when the
able counsel on both sides mad concluded
their efforts for and against the accused
the jury, after but few moments
consideration, rendered verdict or mur-
der in the first degree. The prisoner
throughout the trial was cool and un-
daunted, and his self-pOssessiOn was a
fruitful theme for comment. His counsel
excepted at every possible point in the
evidence and asked for new trial, which
was refused, and Cluyerlus was SEN
| fenced to be hung on Nov. 20, 1885.
AN APPEAL.
An appeal was then taken TO the Su-
preme Court of the State which, however,
awaited the prisoner nothing but a stay
OF execution to- over year, as the court
with but one dissenting voice affi med
| tie Judgment OF the lower court. He was
then resentenced to be hanged on Dec. 10,
| 1886.
Toe last resort-the Chief Executive
was finally applied to tor a pardon or
| commutatlOn OF the sentence to life I'M
prisonment, but the Governor after Civ
ing the case most cOnsderate attention,
could fad no reason for interfering with
the mandate OF the courts. He, however,
respited the condemned until to-day.
-FOUR HANGED IN ARKANSAS.
FORT SMITH, ARK, Jan. 14.-James
Lamb, Albert Odell and JOhn +. Echo S
(white ana John stephens c0lored) were
hanged IN the United states court house
ward here. to-day for murders committed